The Jungle Grapevine

by Alex Beard

In his children’s book debut, fine artist Alex Beard brings to life an African savanna filled with humor and misunderstandings.

When Bird mixes up something Turtle says, he accidentally starts a rumor about the watering hole drying up. One misunderstanding leads to another, with animals making their own hilarious assumptions.

No one is hearing anything right, and soon the animals are in an uproar from one end of the jungle to the other. Elephant is trumpeting, Croc is snapping, and the Flamingos are fleeing! Beard’s story will have every child wondering if peace can ever be restored in the animal kingdom.

Alex Beard has two galleries, one in New Orleans and the other in New York City. Along with his paintings and prints, he has created a line of puzzles that was launched through national accounts in fall 2008 and spring 2009. Puzzles based on The Jungle Grapevine will be launched in conjunction with this book in fall 2009.

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Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Animals, Africa

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2009

Reviews

[Shiloah]

My Lamby just loved this book! "I've never been a gazelle!" She said.

[MindfulMuslimReader]

We rate children's books for virtue, language, story, and beauty and flag content advisories when needed.

Read more at MindfulMuslimReader.com.
“Books Worth Reading”

[Olga]

The story is a good lesson told in an engaging manner, but the illustrations are strange, not beautiful .

[Hope]

This story is similar to Epaminondus, one of my childhood favorites. I kept wanting more from this book. The art was lovely, but it felt washed out with all the white space. The book was huge and long, but didn't seem to have quite enough meat to sustain all that space. I actually think I'd find this book more interesting in a smaller format that requires the reader to study/notice the details.

[Laura]

Turtle makes an idle statement to bird about the watering hole and misheard gossip spreads from there. Alex Beard's distinctive style has grown on me and I really liked this African animal version of the class listening game Telephone. A perfect story about gossip and not repeating what you hear for the younger elementary set.

[Anis A.]

I loved this book. Personally I think it teaches children about gossip and the consequences.
It's about not believing everything you hear.
And to not spread a statement/story if you don't quite understand it.
And I tell my children, if you hear something and are not quite sure about it, ask.
There's no shame in asking when you don't know something.
Beautiful illustrations.

[Destiny Dawn Long]

This was a fun little book about mis-communication. My daughter really enjoyed seeing the different jungle animals. The illustration style wasn't really my cup of tea, but it was interesting, I guess.

[Claire]

Deceptively simple, the jungle grapevine shows us how hyperbole and gossip harm relationships between individuals, groups and countries. A great springboard for conversation.

[Lindsay]

wild animals, africa, jungle, rumors, folk tales

[Alma Loredo]

Turtle and bird are walking through the jungle. Bird misunderstands what turtle said and begans spreading his version. This causes chaos.

[Dane Jackson]

A very clever tale with great artwork.